The
Orange County Bird of Prey Center |
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This
webpage about the Orange County Bird of Prey Center is posted
on the Sea & Sage Audubon website for information purposes
only. The Bird of Prey Center is not part of Sea & Sage
nor are we affiliated with it. To contact the Bird of Prey Center,
do so by telephone at (949) 837-0756; do not contact Sea &
Sage Audubon. For additional information about the OC Bird of Prey Center, or to sponsor one of their raptors, visit their website. |
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Our
Mission: The Orange County Bird of Prey Center was formed
to:
• Educate the community about raptors
• Rehabilitate injured raptors
• Release recuperated (recovered) raptors back into
the wild
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| What
are raptors? |
| Raptors
are birds of prey. Owls, eagle, falons, condors, hawks, ospreys,
kites, and vultures are all raptors Raptors have strong grasping
feet with sharp talons for catching and holding prey. Their
hooked upper beak tears and kills prey, and their binocular
vision allows them depth perception for hunting.. |
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| Our
Education Programs: |
| The Center realizes
that the long-term solution to preventing many of the injuries
seen is through education. Volunteers take birds to schools,
Scout meetings, park programs. public television specieals,
and nature exhibits. The birds used for the educational programs
are non-releasable. |
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| Our
Rehabilitation Programs: |
| Injured and orphaned
raptors are brought to the center by concerned individuals,
Federal, State, and County agencies. They are initially examined
by a veterinarian and a course of treatment is persecribed.
Sometimes x-rays, surgery, and other medical therapy is required.
Young birds learn to hunt live food, honing their hunting and
flying skills. Releasable birds are then kept in flight cages
(mews) to regain the necessary skills and strength to return
to the wild. |
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| Our
Release Program: |
| When a bird is ready
for release, it is placed in a location similar to its natural
habitat. |
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| How
to Help: |
| If you encounter
a raptor that appears to be injured or ill, call us at (949)
837-0756, or contact Animal Control at (714) 935-6848. |
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| If handling the
bird is necessary, use heavy gloves to avoid injury by its sharp
talons and beak. A towel or blanket temporarily places over
the bird may allow easier handling. Grasp the bird on its sides
over properly folded wings. The raptor can then be placed is
a heavy cardboard box, which should be only slightly larger
thn the bird itself. |
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| When you find a
young bird that you think is abandoned, be ceretain that it
is truly orphaned before removing it from the area. Young birds
are often out of their nests a few days before they can fly,
being cared for by parents that are nearby, but possibly not
visible. The adult birds can do a much better job of raising
young than can humans. You can help t he parents by keeping
dogs and cats out of the area. |
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| Always
make a record of the time, date, and location of capture. Always
refer captured birds to the Center or Animal Control, as it
is the legal thing to do. |
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| Our
Volunteer Program: |
| The Center relies
upon its volunteers to support all of the Center's work. Please
contact the volunteer coordinator at (949) 837-0786 for more
information. |
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| Our
Donation Program: |
| The Center relies
solely on contributions from people like you to continue our
work. Contact (949) 837-0786 for more informaiton on our speaking
engagements and for any wish list of items that we need. |
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